Providing more than $900,000 worth of scholarships, the Seabrook Scholar’s Program continues helping its student workers go to college.
Seabrook, one of 19 continuing care retirement communities managed by Erickson Living, is situated on a scenic 98-acre campus in Tinton Falls.
The community is home to more than 1,400 residents, according to a prepared statement from Erickson Living.
Supervisor Aldrin Loyo said he works full-time at Seabrook and first learned about the community while he was in high school.
Loyo received two scholarships to attend college through the community’s Scholarship Fund. This time next year, he’ll graduate with an associate degree in criminal justice and a paralegal license from Brookdale Community College with little college debt, according to a prepared statement from Erickson Living.
Since 2001, Seabrook has provided 1,164 student worker scholarships valued at $955,000. The Scholar’s Program is funded by the residents, staff and community partners to support high school students employed on campus who have shown commitment to serving Seabrook’s community, according to a prepared statement.
To be eligible for consideration, students typically work 1,000 hours in the dining services department during their junior and senior years in high school. They also must remain in “good standing” as determined by their manager, according to a prepared statement.
“Working at Seabrook has been a great experience overall, and the scholarships mean so much to me,” Loyo said.
Loyo started as wait staff in November of 2013 at the age of 16. Over the past four years, he has been promoted several times to host to service coach to supervisor, due to his work ethic, team spirit and willingness to help where needed, according to a prepared statement.
Once he earns his associate degree, Loyo said he plans to go on to get his bachelor’s degree at a four-year college.
“We know the students are the future and affording them their first job opportunity at Seabrook gives them a head start. At Seabrook, employees work in a safe environment, where they are trained on a number of skills and learn the values of caring, respect and team work,” Director of Human Resources Jim MacDonald said.
Seabrook employs more than 800 full- and part-time employees, and was voted a Best Place to Work by NJ Biz in 2017, according to a statement from Erickson Living.
Also in 2017, Seabrook promoted 30 employees, 20 percent of whom were promoted from hourly to managerial positions. From 2013 to 2017, Seabrook promoted 187 individuals, according to a statement from Erickson Living.
“I appreciate that I’m appreciated,” Loyo said in a prepared statement. “I’ve only been here for four years and I’ve moved up. My managers tell me every day how much they appreciate me.”
Employee benefits include tuition reimbursement, 401k, paid time off, comprehensive medical benefits, on-site employee health and wellness centers, employee discount programs and much more, according to a prepared statement.
Loyo said he also feels appreciated by those he serves, which are the people who live at Seabrook.
“I have a resident, Betty, who gives me a hug and a kiss every day. She calls me her grandson. That interaction is the reason why I love it so much here and has made me appreciate what I have because I learn from them every day,” Loyo said in a prepared statement.
Like Loyo, Nakita Brown said the best part about working at Seabrook is the connections she’s formed with residents.
“It makes your job seem more important rather than just coming to work every day,” Brown said.
Brown started as a student server when she was in high school. The year was 2004 and she’s still there now, 14 years later.
“At that time, my friends worked there,” Brown said in a prepared statement. “They were saying it’s a really good place to work. The company offered a scholarship. There was transportation so I wouldn’t have to worry about how to get there after school.”
Brown didn’t end up using the scholarship, she got a full ride to Lincoln University, near Oxford, Pennsylvania, where she earned her degree in psychology. However, as in Loyo’s case, Brown’s managers noticed her potential and promoted her along the career path to her position today as assistant manager in dining, according to a statement.
“I try to make my degree relevant in helping the staff think in new ways, working smarter not harder, and to create the culture that I first experienced at Seabrook,” Brown said in a prepared statement. “The culture is what makes Seabrook special. I’ve been to other places where we don’t have that family teamwork culture, where not everyone is trying to work toward a common goal. At Seabrook, it’s really a team effort. I genuinely look forward to coming to work every day.”
For more information about Seabrook, visit www.//jobs.ericksonliving.com.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.
